Steven



Dec. 31, 1957 VANED COMB Filed Sept. 16, 1953 DISTRIBUTOR R INTERNAL IONENGINE STARTING AIR G. STEVE 2,817,949

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 GEORGE STEVEN INVENTOR.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INTERNAL NG AIR G. STEVEN VANED AIR DISTRIBUTOR FORCOMBUSTION ENGINE STARTI Dec. 31, 1957 Filed Sept. 16. 1953 Ill1,11,11,11,,

i: 1, I o /1 6 27 GEORGE STEVEN.

INVENTOR.

VAN ED AIR DISTRIBUTOR .FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE STARTING AIR.

Ge'orge'Steven, Kenmore, N. Y., assignortoWorthington Corporation,Harrison, N. -J.,"-a corpration of Delaware ApplicationSeptember-16,.1953,LSerial No. 380,562

4 Claims. ((160- 1 6) This invention relates to internal combustionengines which are started byhigh pressure airand more particularly to adistributor for timing and distributing the delivery of the starting airtothe'cylinders of an engine in proper timesequence to initiate startingof the engine.

An object of the present invention isprovide a' starting air distributorfor internal combustion engines which is automatically'brought intooperation upon the turning on'of the starting air supply" to the engine,operates to distribute such starting air in proper time sequence to theengine cylinders, and is automatically disconnected during operation ofthe engine thereby relieving the starting airdistributorof'weardevelopment on-parts thereof normally occasioned bycontinuous engine operation. 'With this and other objects in view, asmay appear from the accompanying specification, the invention consistsof various features of construction arid combination of parts, whichwill be first described in connection withthe'accompanying drawings,showing a vaned air distributor for internal combustion engine startingair" of a preferred form embodying the invention, and thefeaturesforming the invention will be specifically pointedoutinthe claims.

In the drawings:

' Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through "the improved airdistributor, taken on"line'11 of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a cross-section through'the'air' distributor taken on theline 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure'3 is a fragmentary vertical section througha part of an internalcombustion engine showing one form of starting air valve structure withwhich the improved distributor cooperates.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical'section through an internalcombustion engine showing another form of starting air'inlet structureto the engine cylinder, with which the improved starting air distributorcooperates.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the improved starting airdistributor for internal combustion engines comprises a casing 1 whichis formed of an inlet section 2, a distributing section 3 and a shaftcoupling enclosure section 4 which may be attached to any suitablesupport. An operating timing shaft 5 is rotatably carried by the section4 of the housing 1 and the shaft 5 is to be connected to the cam shaftor crank shaft (not shown) of an internal combustion engine for rotationtherewith.

The intermediate or distributor section 3 of the'housing 1 has aplurality of circumferentially spaced starting air ports 6 therein eachof which connects with an individual cylinder of an internal combustionengine through separate outlet passages 7 in various ways, two forms ofwhich are hereinafter described in connection with Figures 3 and 4 ofthe drawings. The distributor section or plate 3 is held stationarythrough the connection of the housing sections 2, 3 and 4. A shaft 8 isrotatably carried by a suitable bearing structure 9a and 9' attached tothe stationary distributor section 3 and the enclosing section 4. Thedistributor ports 6 communicates with the United States Pa e- Patented.Dec. 31,1957

'space'9 within 'theinterior" of. the inlet"sectiorfZiOfthe housing'-'1"-and starting pressure; air enters the space or --chamber 9"through" a. .tangential inlet opening 10f "A-distributing rotor 11is"keyed or otherwise attached toth eshaft 8 forrotationtherewith" and"it hasazplurality of radial arcuate vanes 12i formedon'it'sifaceoutwardly of the distributor plate 'or'sec'tion 3'. "The 'rotarydistributorll has a singl port 14' extending.therethrough which sage ofstarting air from-the space"'or;'clramber9' through the rotarydistrib'utorfll, port 6 into: the; passage7 and thence to thecylindersofftheiengine. There'isa clearance between the lateralsideofeach vane 12. and the end wall of the distributor housing, sothatan'air. jet entering through'airport'ltl'and strikingbladesJ'Z' willbe'fr'ee to escapethrough portl4'and'over' the passages 7, so thedistributor may-operate'on' the turbine principle. The rotarydistributor llisurged outwardly away from-the stationary plate 3*by;aspring'15 which-breaks the connection between the. shafts 5 and '8 whenstarting air pressure isturned oif." vThe"shafts Sand 8 are providedwithcooperation'clutch'sections 16 at'their adjacent ends as clearlyShOWII'lITFigUlfif l of the drawings.

When it is desired .to startanjinternal c0mbustion-en-'gine'equippedwith the improved starting device, the startingair isturnedon and-'this'rstartingair under..pressure enters'the space'orchamber 9'in'",the. inlet. section 2 of the housing and has a tendencyto-move,.the rotary.'distributor 11 IO-WaldSiht) facing surface ofthestationary distributor section 3 againstfthe tension of "the spring" 15.However, at such time, the-clutch sections 16 maybe out ofalignrnentwhich'will "prevent connection of the shafts S and-S for providingthe-proper time distribution ofthe'sta'rting'air."Ihe*starting'airientering the chamber *9 throu'ghthe' inletpassage; 10,tangentially; to the circumference of the rotary distributor 11Willi-actxupon th'e blades 12 and rotate the' rotary distributorll' andthe shaft 1 8* and at such' time as :-the two. clutch sections arebrought into 'proper'connecting relation by this .rotationthepressure-of theairwillfo'rce the shaft fi. into coupled connectionwith'the time shaft 5 andthusthe flow of the starting air through-the"passageway 14" and ports 6 will be properly timed in" accordance withthe sequence of operation of the'enginecylinders; After the'port 14' haspassed the respective port 6 and cut' off the flow of pressure airintotherespeetive passage 7, and the proper operation of the respectivecylinder of the engine has occurred some residue pressure air mayremainin'the passage 7 connected thereto. However, provision'ismade to bleedsuch residue pressure-air to'atlmosphere by means of a-port'31 formed inthe distributor plate"3. The port 31 opens into the passageway 7, and isclosed bythe rotary" distributor 11 when the ports '6 are open toreceive pressure air therethrough. The rotary distributor 11 has achannel 32 in its inner face, which during rotation of thedistributorestablishes communication between the' port 31and' thepassage 17 through the stationary distributor plate to allow anyresidual pressure airto flow from thepassage7 into the chamber. 18formed in the housing section'4, and to atmosphere through the bleed-01fopeningl9.

Figure 3 of the drawings shows a form wherein the starting air to theengine cylinders enters the head of the engine through a starting airpassageway 33 which is normally blocked by a starting air check valve 34held closed by a spring 20. A piston 21 is mounted on the stem 29 of thevalve 34 and starting air from the distributor passage 7 is deliveredagainst the piston 21 in opposition to the tension of the spring 20through a suitable pipe 22, and thus when the starting air distributor,shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, is in proper time operationthrough the coupling connection of the shafts 8 and starting pressureair will be admitted against the piston 21 which will force the valve 34oflf its seat and permit the pressure starting air from passageway 33 toenter the cylinder 23 of the engine and operate the piston and,consequently, the engine until such time as the normal operation of theengine is established. The starting air is then turned off.

In the construction shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, the piston 21 onthe stem of the starting air valve is eliminated and the starting airvalve 24 is held seated by means of a spring 25. Pressure air isdelivered from one of the air passages 7 in the distributor in properlytimed relation to one cylinder of a multi-cylinder engine, for startingthe engine, through a pipe 26. The pressure of such air overcomes thetension of spring 25 and opens valve 24 to admit starting air to thecylinder 27. In multiple cylinder engines similar pipes 26 lead to eachcylinder from the corresponding air passage 7 in the distributor.

When the fiow of starting air to the distributor is cut off, theconsequent pressure against the rotary distributor urging it against thetension of the spring 15 will, of course, be relieved and the springwill act to disconnect the shafts 5 and 8 so that the rotary distributor11 will remain stationary during the normal operation of the engine thusrelieving this distributor of wear developed during operation of theengine.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to thespecific construction or arrangement of parts shown, but that they maybe widely modified within the invention defined by the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a starting air distributor for internal combustion engines, thecombination with an engine rotated shaft, of a starting air distributorshaft, means for disengagebly connecting said shafts for unitaryrotation, an air distributor disc rotatable with said distributor shaft,means for rotating said disc and distributor shaft, means for mountingsaid rotary distributor disc to be movable longitudinally under pressureof starting air to establish rotating connection between saidengine-rotated shaft and said distributor shaft upon application ofengine starting pressure air to said rotary distributing disc, means fordisengaging said shafts upon the cutting otf of application of startingair pressure to the distributing disc, a housing enclosing said rotarydistributor disc, said housing having an air inlet for starting pressureair opening thereinto tangentially of the circumference of said disc,

and a plurality of arcuate vanes carried by said disc and engaged bysaid pressure air entering the casing for rotating the disc.

2. In a starting air distributor for internal combustion engines, thecombination with a multiple cylinder for internal combustion enginesincluding starting air passages opening into the cylinders and checkvalves in said passages, and ashaft rotated during rotation of theengine, of a starting air distributor shaft, means for connecting saidshafts for unitary rotation, means normally urging said shaft out ofconnection, an air distributor disc rotatable with said distributorshaft, a housing enclosing said rotary distributor disc and providedwith a pressure air receiving space, means for mounting said distributorshaft and said rotary distributor disc to be movable longitudinallyunder, pressure of air in said 4 space to connect said distributor shaftwith said engine rotated shaft, a stationary distributor plate providedwith ports and passages corresponding to the respective cylinders of theengine, said rotary distributor disc provided with an air port which ismoved successively into communication with the ports in the stationarydistributor plate when said shafts are connected for unitary rotation,said housing provided with an inlet for starting pressure air openingthereinto tangentially of the circumference of said disc, and aplurality of arcuate vanes carried by said disc and engaged by pressureair entering the casing for rotating the disc.

3. In a starting air distributor for internal combustion engines, thecombination with an engine rotated shaft, of a starting air distributorshaft, means for disengagably connecting said shafts for unitaryrotation, an air distributor disc rotatable with said distributor shaft,means for rotating said disc and distributor shaft, means for mountingsaid rotary distributor disc to be movable longitudinally under pressureof starting air to establish rotating connection between said enginerotated shaft and said distributor shaft upon application of enginestarting pressure air to said rotary distributing disc, means fordisengaging said shafts upon cutting off of application of starting airpressure to the distributing disc, a stationary distributor plateprovided with ports and passages corresponding to the respectivecylinders of a multiple cylinder internal combustion engine, said rotarydistributor disc provided with an air port which is moved successivelyinto communication with the ports in the stationary distributor whensaid shafts are connected for unitary rotation, a housing enclosing saiddistributor disc, said housing having an inlet for starting pressure airopening therei'nto tangentially of the circumference of said disc, andaplurality of arcuate vanes carried by said disc and engaged by pressureair entering the casing for rotating the disc.

4. In combination with an internal combustion engine having anengine-rotated shaft, an air distributor, an axially movable distributorshaft mounted therein, a rotor fixed on said shaft, vane means disposedon said rotor, means for detachably connecting said distributor shaft tosaid engine shaft for rotation therewith, means normally maintainingsaid shafts disengaged from one another, means for supplying startingair to said distributor to impinge against said vane means to rotatesaid distributor shaft and move it axially of the distributor to connectit to said engine shaft for rotation therewith, air passage means insaid distributor for passing air there through to said internalcombustion engine, said rotor having an air port therein incommunication with said air supply means for receiving air therefrom andin communication with said air passage means for discharging startingair therethrough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS857,639 Letombe June 25, 1907 1,336,616 Christensen Apr. 13, 19201,835,543 Watts Dec. 8, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS 71,639 Austria Apr. 25,1916

